Ghosted: A Mafia Assassin Romance (Team Zero Book 2), page 28
Scar is visiting for the second time. The other day, she came with Mist. Zoe was appalled. She thinks they will tell Shadow where she’s staying. Which both have denied. Scar said, ‘I don’t even like the arsehole.’ and Mist, ‘I’ll only help that filth when he needs a hand to die.’ But apparently, Zoe is still nervous about it.
I walk with her inside, interlinking my arm with hers. A few months ago, I wouldn’t want to be this close to anyone — even with Zoe. But at that time, I was running away from my insecurities. There’s nothing wrong with being close to those I love.
We find Liam and Scarlett in the small sitting area in Zoe’s house. Scar is plopped on the old sofa, sipping a coffee ever so leisurely, but Liam is standing at the threshold. Stance wide. Shoulders tense and arms crossed as if he’s ready to pounce any second.
Needless to say, he doesn’t like Scar.
Not the first time I introduced them, and obviously not now. I haven’t told him, but I think he knows she’s not just an escort, but one of Le Salon’s leaders.
“Hey, Liam,” I say with a light tone and massage his shoulder muscles. “Relax a bit, would you.”
“Not with her here.” He narrows his eyes on Scar. “Why does she keep coming in the first place?”
Zoe places a hand on her hip, and for the first time in the twenty days I’ve been here, a spark of the old Zoe rushes through. “That’s so rude, mister!”
“Ellie!” Scar completely ignores him and jumps me in a tight hug. “I missed you! It’s so dull without you. Come back, Hmm? Come on! I promise to kick Ghost’s arse if you do.”
I give an awkward smile. “Julian wouldn’t want me back.”
“That’s where you’re sooo wrong, Ellie.” She flings her arms around. “Listen, Ghost and I are total besties, so I know what I’m talking about.”
“Are you really besties?” She didn’t strike me as close to Julian at all.
“I am.” She pauses when I keep staring at her, then purses her lips. “At times.”
“Didn’t you warn me to stay away from him?”
“That’s because I thought it was a fling. But that’s not the point! Have you ever thought that he could just... you know...”
I inch forward. “What?”
She gives a side glare to Liam and he glares back. Full on.
“Hey, police,” she says in her cheerful tone. “Mind if you stop eavesdropping like a creep?”
“The answer is no.” His tone is harsh and cold.
Scar rolls her eyes. “Is he always such an entertaining conversationalist? Also, why does someone like him share the name of my beloved Liam? Change your name, police!”
“Forget about him.” I clutch her shoulders, needing to pull her attention so she won’t lose track as always. “What were you trying to tell me earlier?”
“Right!” She claps her hands. “I was going to say, have you ever thought that Julian wants you to choose him?”
I blink. “Choose him?”
“Come on, you’re smart, Ellie. Connect the dots.”
Liam barges between me and Scar, squaring his shoulders back to add even more magnitude to his height. “She will be a lot smarter – and alive – when she stays the fuck away from the likes of you.”
“Liam!” Zoe scolds.
Although Scar is a lot shorter than Liam, only reaching his shoulder, she doesn’t falter or appear intimidated. Instead, the amber of her eyes fires up. It’s rare to see Scar show full hostility, and I’m kind of worried for Liam.
She’s a killer and has killer friends. Liam won’t stand a chance if they mark him for dead.
I touch his arm, attempting to pull him back, but the bloody mule won’t stop his glaring war with Scar.
He’s that protective of us.
After what seems like forever, Scar shakes her head and breaks eye contact first. “Apparently my presence here isn’t wanted, and I’m allergic to police here. So see you, Ellie and Zoe! Unless you change your mind.”
She’s out the door. I stand there, mulling her words over.
Julian wants me to choose him?
How?
My mind snaps back to the note he’s given me. His world isn’t for me. Like I said before I fell asleep. But I told him that I want us to be together. Wait. Maybe he didn’t hear that part? Maybe I didn’t say it aloud?
Oh. Shit.
Julian wants me to return on my own.
How come I never thought about that? He wants me to choose him and his world out of my own will.
I’m running after Scar before I know it.
Liam clutches my arm and brings me to a screeching halt. “Where are you going? Don’t tell me you’re listening to whatever that crazy woman just said.”
I face him and smooth my voice. “You’ve been the best big bro anyone can ask for, Liam, and you’re a brilliant man. You are. But there are good men on the other side of the law, too.” I grin. “And I’ve found mine.”
Zoe offers me a smile, and she seems genuinely happy for me. “Go for it, Rage Ball!”
I give her a quick hug. “We still need to talk.”
Then I run after Scar.
She’s standing by her car and waiting for me with a smile.
Scar and I arrive at Le Salon late at night. Needless to say, she made me listen to Oasis’ whole discography on the way here.
Although my decision was made, my feet falter near the entrance of the safe house. What if I read the entire thing wrong and Julian doesn’t want me anymore? If he throws me away this time, I won’t be able to put myself back together again.
Not that I have.
I take a deep breath and step inside the safe house. Scar said he only spends time either punching Shadow or the bag. Judging from the successive thwacks coming from behind the house, he must be with the bag.
Nerves start wrecking me again. I glance down at the simple sweater and jeans Zoe lent me. Jeez. I didn’t even change into something appropriate or had Scar perform her magic on my face.
Well, there’s nothing I can do about it now.
I round the corner and take my millionth breath. Then, I stop breathing altogether. Julian is battling with the bag, half-naked. The rigid lines of his back and the warrior tattoo shine with sweat. He’s always been so beautiful. Both inside and out.
The need to run and hug him overwhelms me. So I do just that. The first part at least. I run at him in full speed, then instead of hugging him. I punch him in the back. Hard. My knuckles ache but he hardly budges. He stops moving, though.
I’m sure he sensed my attack but chose to do nothing. He’s Ghost after all. The one who does the creeping, no one creeps up on him.
He turns around, slowly, and my heartbeat pounds with every passing second. When he’s fully facing me, a lump forms at the back of my throat.
His intense, dark eyes rake over me with relief but also surprise. As if he didn’t expect to ever see me again. All I want to do is hug him and tell him how much I miss him.
My lips tremble. “You didn’t keep your word.”
He secures the bandages on his hands. “My word?”
“That you wouldn’t leave me.”
“You’re the one who left,” he says in that calm tone.
“After you made me!” My fist slams in his chest over and over.
He takes every one of my punches with a pained expression, but I doubt it has anything to do with how much I physically hurt him.
“Why, Julian?” Tears form in my eyes. “Why did you kick me out?”
He clutches both my wrists in his hand, but doesn’t remove them from his chest. A deep sense of longing lodges in those golden rings. “You said it yourself. My world isn’t for you. I can’t force you into this.”
“I’m not scared of this world.” I puff my chest forward. “I’m not a delicate flower in case you haven’t noticed. All I want is to be with you.”
His fingers stroke my cheek, and I lean into his touch. “And I want to be with you. You drive me fucking crazy, Firefly. I can’t imagine my world without you.”
My heart does a somersault and happy tears fill my eyes.
“I promise to protect you until my last breath,” he continues. “You’ll be my friend, my lover, and my everything. I just want to spend the rest of my life with you.”
This time, I can’t hold it anymore. I lunge forward and wrap my arms around his waist in a steel-hug. “I love you so much, Julian.”
He strokes my hair and lifts my chin so I’m staring at those dark eyes. “Mine?”
I smile up at him. “Yours.”
Epilogue
Three years later,
I rub my eyes as I stand by the doorframe. I’m a mess. My hair is dishevelled and my face must look so tired. I’m sure I crashed in my workout clothes after the gym, but I woke up wearing a satin gown.
My eyes stray to the source of all of this. To the reason why I always feel beautiful even when I’m exhausted to death.
Julian perches on our youngest son’s crib, Jason. He’s dressed in black trousers and a white shirt. The cuffs are rolled to his elbows, revealing strong veiny arms and those intricate tattoos that still get me on my toes.
Jason is such a loud little demon. Sleep is a no-go with this one. Julian says Jason inherited his stubbornness from me, but I think he takes after Scar – and she’s unexplainably proud of that.
I want to murder her for encouraging Jason’s wildness.
Or not. When I’m in the mood to murder people, it means I’m pregnant, and I’m not ready for a third one now. The two boys are already too challenging. Two in less than three years. Sometimes, I think it’s Julian’s mission to impregnate me.
Not that I’m complaining. I get to punch him all day whenever the hormones possess my body.
Jason’s soft snore reaches me, and I release a sigh. Hopefully, he’s out for the night because I’m not into sharing Julian tonight.
My husband turns towards Jared who’s also snoring on his bed. He takes his time to cover him and presses an affectionate kiss on his forehead.
I nearly melt against the doorframe. I try, I really try to be there for the boys and be a good mother, but I don’t have Julian’s miraculous patience. It’s like he was born for this.
Maybe that’s why I want to give him as many children as possible.
We both deserve this after the childhood we had. We deserve a family of our own. Even if they drive me crazy sometimes.
“Fatherhood looks so hot on you,” I whisper so Julian would pay me attention.
I’m jealous of my own children sometimes. Sue me.
Julian casts one last look at the boys before he silently exits the room and closes the door behind him. As usual, he doesn’t make a sound. It’s so much different from my attempts to tiptoe out of the room. I always knock a toy and bump my toes against something.
His arms surround my waist. It’s automatic and natural. Even after all this time, Julian can’t and never keeps his hands off me. It still makes my heart flutter with so much love and adoration for this man.
“I thought you were asleep.” He smiles down at me, those dark brown eyes are shining with so much happiness and peace, it knots my heart.
I stroke the slight stubble on his cheek. “You know I can’t sleep when you’re not there.”
“Well, we need to do something about that, Wife.” His strong arms swift me off my feet. I break into a fit of laughter and try to suppress it into his shoulder so I don’t wake the boys.
I’ve never been so happy.
Two years later,
Crow was never a wise person; he’s crude and all over the place. However, he told me a wise thing once.
“I always watch my wife asleep and think I don’t deserve this woman. Maybe one day, Eloise will wake up and realise I’m a mistake and leaves. So I decided to put as many babies in her as possible so she won’t be able to leave.”
It’s crazy, and Elle never made me feel like she’d leave me. In fact, she goes crazy punching thing and the bag whenever I’m not around. But like Crow, I have that side. The ‘I’m not good enough for her’ side. So I adapted his method.
Marrying Elle has been the best decision I took in my whole fucking life. I love having children with her. Taking care of them and her makes me feel like a whole person. Not Ghost. Not a killer. Not a Team Zero member. Not even the Julian abandoned by his mother. In this house, I feel only like a loved husband and a father.
It’s the most fulfilling feeling in the world.
I close the door after the three boys. Each has his own room, but they like to snuggle together sometimes. Especially after a bedtime story. I sigh. I had to listen to Shadow tell them his real adventures. He somehow made himself a superhero who kills the villains and forgot to mention he’s the most dangerous of them all.
I head to the bedroom, but Elle isn’t there. She’s not in the bathroom either.
“Firefly?”
I find her in the gym, sitting on a stool in front of the bag. She must’ve just finished punching because her brows are sweaty. Her silky hair falls loose to the middle of her back. Tight short cover her toned thighs and her sports bra outlines full, round breasts.
I hope she’s not too attached to those clothes because I’m going to rip them off her body. I reach her in two strides. My chest glues against her back. I love how she sucks in a stuttering breath whenever I touch her.
It doesn’t matter how long we’ve been together, there’s no satiating how much I want to bend her over and fuck her senseless.
I suck on her earlobe, and she leans into me. “It’s been sometimes since the last time in the gym. What do you say?”
She chuckles and shakes her head while standing up.
I stare at those bright blue eyes, my fingers pulling her close by the shorts. “How about giving the boys a sister?”
She leans over, presses her lips against my neck, and whispers, “Already done.”
I pull back, searching her face. “Really?”
“I don’t know if it’s a girl, but,” she takes my hand, and like every time, tears stream down her cheeks as she places my palm over her flat stomach, “We’re pregnant.”
“Fuck,” I say, incredulous and then I’m carrying her in my arms. She squeals and laughs so happily, it makes me feel like the luckiest bloody man alive.
I was a nobody. I had this woman and became somebody.
“We should celebrate.” She’s already pulling on my T-shirt. Another perk of Elle’s pregnancies? She never gets enough of me.
“Fuck right we should.” My hand goes to fulfil my promise of ripping her clothes.
“I love you, Julian,” she murmurs against my neck.
“And I love you, Firefly.”
I prove it with my ravenous lips against hers.
***The End***
Or is it?
Click here for a bonus scene after Ghost and Elle’s reunion.
What’s Next?
Thank you so much for reading Ghosted! I was consumed by Ghost and Elle’s story. I hope the passion reached you, too! If you liked it, please leave a review on Amazon, Bookbub & Goodreads. I love hearing from readers!
Guess what’s next in Team Zero? It’s Shadow and Zoe’s story!
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Blurb
She ran from monsters but fell into the trap of the most dangerous one.
Zoe
Shadow is as untouchable as his name. A fighter. A killer. A mafia man.
To avenge my mother’s death, I barge into his world head first.
It starts as a game. A bet. A push and pull. But then it spirals into a web of secrets and forbidden desires.
The more I get to know the man within, the harder he consumes me.
He’s too much. These feelings are too much.
I run, but can I hide from a monster?
Shadow
To protect my deadly secret, I drown in killing and madness. The facade hides my darkness and pushes everyone away.
Not her.
Zoe provokes me. Challenges me. She twists her fingers in my black heart and stirs a part I thought was long dead.
Then she runs.
She calls me a monster.
Well, this monster will never let her go.
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While waiting, how about reading Aaron’s book and/or Crow’s book?
Also By Rina Kent
Team Zero Series
Charmed (Free for Newsletter Subscribers)
Crowed
Shadowed (Coming Summer 2019)
Misted (Coming Fall 2019)
Scarred (Coming 2020)
More Team Zero Books to Follow….
The Rhodes Series
Remorse (Free for Newsletter Subscribers)
Ruin
Retribution (Coming Spring 2019)
Redemption (Coming Fall 2019)
Rebirth (Coming 2020)
Reverence (Coming 2020)
Acknowledgements
This is always the easiest and the hardest part. The easiest because I have so much gratitude for everyone who brought this book to life and the hardest because I feel like I don’t always give everyone credit.
To my parents, thank you so much for creating this monster. Now, I can’t be stopped!
My eternal gratitude goes to my husband. Mr K, thanks so much for not killing me yet! Seriously, I would’ve killed me if I were you. Bless your patient soul while I spend endless hours writing Ghosted. I would’ve never followed this dream if it weren’t for your constant support and bouncing ideas with me. You will always be my fantasy in reality!
My editor, Annabelle, thank you a million for shaping my books and always kicking my arse.
